Government defends Tas airport biosecurity

The Tasmanian government has dismissed concerns some northern airports will go without passenger biosecurity checks on Good Friday.

The Tasmanian Greens and unions say 19 flights carrying hundreds of people will land at Burnie, Devonport and King Island on the public holiday, when measures such as dog teams will be absent due to rostering issues.

Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the Liberal government had taken to new heights the checks for banned products.

"I've received advice from Biosecurity Tasmania that detector dogs will of course be on duty over the Easter long weekend at high traffic areas."

He restated the government's previous commitment to "target" 100 per cent of flights into Tasmania's ports, and said the administration has doubled, to 12, the number of detector dogs working across the state.

Greens MP Andrea Dawkins said the staffing issue needed to be urgently addressed, while unions flagged concerns for the state's agricultural sector.

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"With so much invested in our agriculture and aquaculture industries it's shameful that (the state government) would leave them exposed to risk of incursion by under-resourcing our biosecurity service," CPSU state secretary Tom Lynch said.